"You Should See the Before Picture" Party

Jen from Sanctuary Art is hosting a party today entitled "You Should Have Seen The Before Picture!" Party, and as she has said, it's not for the squimish or faint of heart because she bares all in her decor pictures. Well Jen doesn't bare all, but you know what I mean. She shows before and afters of decor from days gone by.




Since I've only had my digital camera for a year I don't have many "before" photos except for this one project I worked on right before I started my blog.

THE WOODWORK.

We've lived here for 6 years and I was so thrilled to find this house because of the beautiful dark hardwood floors, recently installed, and the white woodwork, which had also recently been painted. We repainted most rooms but there was always one curious thing about the dining room and the master bedroom. They had a strip of white crown molding under the stained crown molding. Now, I understand their reasoning. The doors and stairway were part stained wood, part white. So I guess their thinking was that if they "mixed it up" in the woodwork department it would look like it was intentional... WRONG! All it did was look disjointed and made the rooms seem smaller and drew the ceilings down.




Every single day I looked at it and hated it. You know how that is. You hate something, but you just don't take the time and effort to fix it? Well, that's what I did for 6 stupid years, until I just took the plunge, grabbed the paint can and went to work.

It was one of those "V-8" moments where you slap yourself on the head and say "Why didn't I do that 6 years ago?"

You may not be able to tell alot of difference, but believe me, it looks sssooooooo much better, higher ceilings, bigger room, cleaner. Yeah, finally!

Hope you have fun with some "befores and afters"!

Debra

Junkin' Monday

This hasn't been a very good week for Junk around my place. We stuck pretty close to home this weekend... didn't hit our usual haunts. I found a few things early in the week, but I added a few things that I hadn't shown yet from last week. The mirror below is really pretty. It has great pewter-y color paint. You don't see too many old mirrors with that finish, usually they are gold-toned.

I love these little glass boxes, not particularly old,

but so many possibilities to display with them.

Old black scales could be used in a neat Halloween display.

I need to put on my creative thinking cap.

Old marble mortar bowl.



An old briefcase with initials.

C.B.S.

wicker picnic basket

Old green birdcage, that I may use for a Christmas display.

Some great vintage woodsy-cabin prints.

One of our dreams is to have a cottage/cabin at the lake

filled with woodsy furniture and camp style goods.

A great luncheon tablecloth in fall colors

and a stack of old books.

After buying several things from this one vendor,

he asked me if I liked old books, when I said yes he just gave me this stack.

He said, "All this stuff has to go. I could not stand to throw away a book."

This is an old Bible

This makes me want to set a sweet lunch spot for the sunroom.

I'm joining Clara and Marcela over at

Cottage Charm and Family Inspiration for Junkin' Mondays.

Be sure to check out their blog for more participants.

Have a great Labor Day!

Debra

Can You Drink a Pumpkin?

I have finally joined the fan club. Yes, I have left behind my summer favorite, the Green Tea Frappicino, and have totally fallen in love with the Pumpkin Latte from Starbucks.

I'm not a Starbucks coffee junkie, because it's a little strong for me. I like coffee in my flavored creamer. You heard me right. Oh, I love coffee, but just about a 1-1 ratio coffee to milk, or creamer as the case may be. (oh, and don't forget the Splenda) I'm a fan of Hazelnut Sugar Free. Now, I'm an addict with that concoction.

So I just wanted to prove to Cindy that I had taken my maiden voyage. Here ya go... another reason to totally love fall!

Hope all you Texas gals can get some cool weather so you can enjoy this!

Debra

Jenny

I was just getting to know her. She left such sweet comments. She had just started her blog a few months ago, just like me. Her last post was White Wednesday, on which I left a comment. Read this post please, it speaks as to who she is. Recently she fell and broke her foot. I was checking in on her, because like all of us, she has a family, with kids, and a job... a life with responsibilities.

I received a message from her good friend Lydia at Lydia oh Lydia Art last night. If you knew Jenny from Vignettes Etc. please go visit her friend Lydia, who will direct you to Jenny's blog.

I could not just sit here today and say nothing. All of us in the blogging community have made friends. We may not have met them, spoken on the phone, or would even know them in a crowd, but there is a quiet unspoken bond we have.

I am praying for her family and friends. She will be missed.

God please protect and sustain those she left behind.

Debra

Fall Nesting with a Pumpkin Topiary

This week I have been participating in "Fall Nesting Week" with The Inspired Room. We are sharing our fall decor, projects, and ideas, to gather some fall inspiration.

These faux pumpkin topiaries have been in the magazines the last few years, so last year I thought I would try it out with an old urn I had found. This urn weighs a ton and about sent my husband to the hospital trying to load it into the car. I decorate it seasonally, and my fall motif is my favorite.


I didn't glue it because I wanted easy storage, but I did cut out the bottom of the pumpkins, so they would sit easier and more secure on the one underneath. That's it! I've seen some lighted and carved which are also wonderful, this one is pretty plain, but I tried to dress it up with varied pumpkin colors and some ivy and fall berry garland. I think it makes a somewhat elegant fall statement for my entry hall.

Be sure and go on over to see Melissa at The Inspired Room,

and all the other participants for Fall Nesting Week.

Have a Great Holiday Weekend!

Debra

Fall Nesting in the Sunroom

I warned you...

...that my Sunroom would be the first to change with the seasons.

Sorry you have to see it so often, but it is just my favorite part of my house.

I just love old quilts and this gives me an excuse

to change them out each month.

I found this one last year, and the orange and black, with some navy blue,

just really gets me in that festive fall mood.

(Pinwheel pattern)

Miss Jenkins loves the sunroom as much as I do,

but she doesn't "love" the camera,

like Miss Wrigley does.

Had to change out the wreath and ribbon too.

Another one of my favorite fall quilts. This one is really old.
I bought it in Atlanta 20 years ago.
(Wild Geese or Flying Geese)
After Halloween, this one will go on the settee.

My three little white squash.

Love these old orange garden tools.

Mums in an old wire fry basket.

Vintage orange teapot from my recent finds.

Baker's Rack all dressed for fall.

Little Japanese Apple Jam Pot.

Love these old Twining Tea tins.

My favorite, Angel Vine, in a small vintage pitcher.

Very old birdcage with a naughty little crow.

This one comes with it's very own REAL spider webs...

a little early for Halloween.

Here's look'n at you, Kid!

This is Fall Nesting Week at The Inspired Room.

I'm doing posts that celebrate the change of the season.

So for me, part of that is the change of decor.

Hope you have fun decorating your favorite spots for Fall!

Debra